Combined reduction and crucible furnace.



W. J. SHAW.

COMBINED REDUCTION AND GRUGIBLE FURNACE.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1909.-

967,069. v Patented Ailg. 9, 1910.

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WILLIAM JENKINS SHAW', 0F "TORONTO, ONTARIO. CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BYll/IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOINTERNATIONAL TOOL STEEL COMPANY, LIMITED, OIETORONTO,

CANADA, A CORPORATION.

COMBINED REDUCTION AND CRUCIBLE FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JENKINS SHAW, of the city of Toronto, in thecounty of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Combined Reduction and CrucibleFurnaces, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combined reduction and cruciblefurnaces, and the object of the invention is to devise a simple andcheaply constructed furnace of this character particularly adaptable forthe production of steel directly from metallic oXid sand or otherpulverized iron ore in which the reduction of the ore and the melting ofthe metal resultant therefrom may be carried on simultaneously, andthereby effect an economy in the production of steel.

My invention consists of a furnace casing preferably rectangular in formand provided with a central top draft flue and side feeding hoppers oneach side thereof provided with a hinged top and a sliclable bottom,crucibles extending about midway of the length of the furnace to eachend and provided with teem holes and end inclosing doors, a hood for thecrucibles, water circulating pipes extending lengthwise through thefurnace and designed to support the crucibles by flanges formed thereon,the parts being otherwise constructed and arranged in detail ashereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1, is a perspective View of a combined reduction and cruciblefurnace constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is avertical section. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal section.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A is the outer casing of the furnace, which is provided with acircumferential air cham her A to which are connected the blast pipes Band from the bottom of which extend the twyers G into the bottom of thefurnace above the hearth plate C D are crucibles preferably rectangularin form, which extend from about midway of the length of the furnace toeach end being preferably formed of graphite and provided with sidesupporting flanges D which rest on hollow bars D rectangular in crosssection and having Water pipes D running therethrough from end to end ofthe furnace. Such pipes D are provided with a circulation of waterthrough a suitable medium and extend through the ends of the furnacebeing connected to the down pipes D*. A constant circulation of coolwater is kept up in these pipes and thereby the crucibles are supportedwithout any danger of dropping or being fractured.

E is a right angled hood, which extends from end to end of the furnace,such hood being reverse broad V-shaped in cross section and supported byhooks E extending into notches A at the ends of the furnace walls.

Opposite the outer ends of the crucibles are doors F located in the endwalls of the furnace and provided with suitable hinges and bottomnotches F opposite the teem hole D" at the outer end of the bottom ofthe crucible. A suitable catch F is provided to hold the doors closed. Asprout F extends from the bottom of the notch F.

G are a pair of doors located at the end of the wall of the furnaceabove the level of the hearth C and provided underneath the same with aspout G such doors overlapping where they meet and being held closed bya pivoted catch G H is a flue extending upwardly from the top of thefurnace and provided with an orifice H for the eXit of the gases.

I are hoppers located on each side of the flue and provided with hingedtops I and withdrawable bottoms I sliding in guideways I attached to orforming part of the casing.

Briquets, such as produced by the composition described in anapplication filed Sept. 25, 1909, Serial No. 519583, are introduced intothe top of the fuel bed at the bottom of the outer casing and the metalpreviously produced from a previous reduction is placed in the crucible.It will, of course, be understood that the fuel and briquets would befed through the hoppers I and that when the upper doors I are open forfeeding the lower doors I would be closed and when it is desired todeposit into the furnace any desired quantity the withdrawable bottomsor doors I are withdrawn to any degree desired and the fuel and briquetswill pass down into the furnace.

The hood E, of course, serves to protect the top of the crucibles andmay be readily removed when it is desired.

Such a construction of furnace as I describe as will be understood fromwhat has been hereinbefore premised combines the operations of thereduction of ore and the melting of the metal in the cruciblessimultaneously from one bed of fuel. The crucibles are supported withoutany liability of their falling and the melted metal may be readilywithdrawn from the teem holes of the crucibles when desired. The feedingof the fuel as well as the ore in briquets is provided for, so thatthere is no loss of heat and the metal in the furnace itself may beremoved from the hearth as well as slag productions While the furnace isin operation from the end doors when open.

The metal is, of course, fed into the crucibles through the doors F whenopen.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A furnace comprising a casing to contain the bed of fuel and meansfor suitably supporting a crucible within the casing intermediate theside walls in the bed of fuel and a fuel deflecting hood for thecrucible having a central ridge, as and for the purpose specified.

2. A furnace comprising a suitable casing to contain the bed of fuel andmeans for supporting a crucible within the casing in the bed of fuel sothat its ends abut the ends of the wall of the furnace and doors locatedopposite the crucible having their bottom abutting corners cut away asand for the purpose specified. I

3. In a furnace, the combination with a casing to contain the bed offuel, of means for supporting a crucible in the bed of fuel, said meanscomprising hollow bars and water circulation pipes extending throughsaid bars and through the ends of the furnace as and for the purposespecified.

4. The combination with the furnace casing and means for supporting acrucible in the heating zone, of a hood reverse broad V- shaped in crosssection and provided with end hooks supporting it above the crucible asand for the purpose specified.

5. The combination With a furnace casing provided with a suitable hearthof the end doors of the casing located above the level of the hearth forthe passage of the bloom, and a suitable spout extending immediatelyunderneath the doors whereby the slag underneath the metal may pass outas and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with the casing and means for supporting a crucibletherein within the heating zone, of a flue extending upwardly therefromabove the casing, the hood extending above the crucible, hoppers locatedat each side of the fiue and provided with opening tops and bottoms asand for the purpose specified.

7. The combination with the casing and means for supporting a crucibletherein within the heating zone, of a flue extending upwardly therefromabove the casing, the

hood extending above the crucible, hoppers located at each side of theflue, hinged tops for the top of the hoppers and withdrawable bottomsfor the bottoms of the hoppers located in suitable guide-ways as and forthe purpose specified.

8. A reduction furnace and means for supporting a casing provided withan air chamber surrounding the same, pipes leading into the chamber andtwyers leading from the bottom of the chamber into the interior of thefurnace above the hearth. or grate as and for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM JENKINS SI'LMV.

Witnesses B. BOYD, R. COBAIN.

